MR. G. W. FOOTE AND THE ' FREETHINKER.'

Freethought Review, Volume II, Issue 14, 1 November 1884, Page 13

MR. G. W. FOOTE AND THE ' FREETHINKER.'

The following extracts are taken from an article by Mr. Foote in a late number of Progress: —tn the merry month of May, 1881, I started a paper called the ‘Freethinker’ with the avowed object of waging “restless war against Superstition in general and the Christian Superstition in particular.” I stated in the first paragraph of the first number that this new journal would have a new policy; that it would “ do its best to employ the resources of Science, Scholarship, Philosophy, and Ethics against the claim of the Bible as a Divine Revelation,” and that it would “not scruple to employ for the same purpose any weapons of ridicule or sarcasm that might be borrowed from the armoury of Common Sense.” As the ‘Freethinker’ was published at the people’s price of a penny, and was always edited in a lively style, with a few short articles and plenty of racy paragraphs, it succeeded from the first: and becoming well known, not through profuse advertisements, but through the recommendation of its readers, its circulation increased every week. Within a year of its birth it had outgrown the recorded size of all its predecessors. No Freethought journal ever progressed with such amazing rapidity. True, this was largely due to the fact that the Freethought party had immensely increased in numbers; but much of it was also due to the policy of the paper, which supplied, as the advertising gentry say, “ a long felt want.” Although the first clause of its original programme was never wholly forgotten, we gradually paid the greatest attention to the second, indulging more and more in Ridicule and Sarcasm, and more and more cultivating Common Sense. A dangerous policy, as I was sometimes warned; but for that very reason all the more necessary. The more Bigotry writhed and raged the more I felt that our policy was telling, Borrowing a metaphor from Carlyle’s “Frederick,” I likened Superstition to the boa, which defies all ponderous assaults, and will not yield to the pounding of sledge-hammers, but sinks dead when some expert thrusts in a needle’s point and punctures the spinal column. . . Before the ‘ Freethinker ' had readied its third number I began to reflect on the advisability of illustrating it, and bringing in the artist’s pencil to aid the writer’s pen. I soon resolved to do this, and the third and fourth numbers contained a woodcut on the front page. In the fifth number there appeared an exquisite little burlesque sketch of the Calling of Samuel, by a skilful artist whose name I cannot disclose. Although not ostensibly, it was actually, the first of those Comic Bible Sketches for which the ‘Freethinker’ afterwards became famous; and from that date, with the exception of occasional intervals due to difficulties there is no need to explain, my little paper was regularly illustrated. During the whole twelve months of my imprisonment the illustrations were discontinued by my. express order. I was not averse to their appearing, but I knew the terrible obstacles and dangers my temporary successor would have to meet, and I loft him a written

prohibition of them, which he was free to publish, in order to shield him against the possible charge of cowardice. Since my release from prison they have been resumed, and they will be continued until I go to prison again, unless I see some better reason than Christian menace for their cessation. . . The ‘ Freethinker’ steadily progressed in circulation, and in January, 1882, I was able to secure the service of my oldest friend, Joseph Mazzini Wheeler as subeditor. He had for long years contributed gratuitously to my literary ventures, and those who ever turn over a file of the .‘Secularist’ or the ‘Liberal’ will see with what activity he wielded his trenchant pen. When he became my paid sub-editor, our relations remained unchanged. We worked as loyal colleagues for a cause we both loved, and treated as a mere accident the fact of my being his principal. The same feeling animates us still, nor do f think it can ever suffer alteration. The new year’s number, dated January 1, 1882, referred to Mr. Wheeler’s accession, and to that of Hr. Edward Aveling, who then became a member of the regular staff. It also referred to the policy of the ‘ Freethinker,’ and to another subject of the gravest interest — namely, the threats of prosecution which had appeared in several Christian journals.